We live in a world that offers many conveniences. Some of them we may be willing to live without but others seem to be almost a necessity. For those of us who live in a warm area of
the world or if it gets warm at certain times of the year, air-conditioning goes beyond a luxury and quickly becomes a necessary item. Unfortunately, it is also sometimes lacking when it comes to keeping us cool.
When you experience any problems with your air-conditioning and it no longer is blowing cold, you might be quick to contact a professional. Although it certainly can help if you have a professional come to you, there may also be some reason why it is not blowing cold and you can fix it yourself. In either case, the following 10 reasons are typically enough to get you pointed in the right direction when trying to find out why your air-conditioning is not keeping you and your family cool.
Thermostat settings – Believe it or not, one of the most common problems that can keep your air-conditioning at a warmer temperature is the fact that thermostat settings are not set properly. This is especially a problem if you have a high quality thermostat with many options. You may think that you are setting your temperature but within a short amount of time, it could reset to a higher setting. Check your thermostat settings before you check anything else.
Batteries – Before you contact a professional, make sure that you check the batteries in the thermostat. This is something that is often overlooked but it can certainly make a difference in how cold your air-conditioning is blowing. It may seem like it is operating fine but without the batteries backing things up, you could end up quite warm.
Air filter 
– it is important to change the air filter on a regular basis for a number of different reasons. One of those reasons is because a dirty filter will stop the free flow of air and could end up preventing the AC from cooling as much as it should. Be sure that you change the air filter on a monthly basis.
Refrigerant – It may be possible that your air-conditioning unit is low on refrigerant. A loss of refrigerant can certainly result in the AC not blowing cold air and it may even signal the fact that there is a leak. A professional repair service can come in and assess the situation. They can stop the leak from occurring and put some more gas in the system to get your air blowing cold again.
Dirty compressor – when the air conditioning compressor becomes dirty or blocked, it can keep the unit from cooling properly. It could be a matter of dust or dirt getting into the compressor or it may be a nearby obstruction, including a tree, grass or bushes. It may be necessary to trim the area to keep the blockage from occurring. If it doesn’t fix the problem, contact a professional.
Defective Compressor – although this is a relatively rare situation, it may be possible for a defective compressor to be causing your low air-conditioning temperatures. A professional can come out to check the compressor and if necessary, they can replace it with a new one.
Ductwork – there may be times when the air-conditioning ductwork becomes damaged and if that is the case, the cold air may be escaping into an area of the home that is not typically needed for air-conditioning, such as the attic or the space in between floors. In rare cases, the air conditioning ducts may also get blocked.
Drainage pipe – the moisture that is build up within the unit drains out through a pipe. If the drainage pipe is blocked, the air-conditioning unit needs to work harder in order to make the air cool that is blowing through your home.
Bad fan – it may be possible that the air-conditioning fan wheel is no longer operating properly. You can check this yourself to a certain extent by going to the indoor unit and seeing if the fan is buzzing or if it is actually operating. A long screwdriver can be used for this but you need to be cautious that you don’t damage the fan while testing it.
Frozen unit – one other possibility is that the unit has frozen on the outside. This is something that can be determined by a visual inspection. If the unit is frozen, turn it off until it thaws fully and then you can turn it back on to cool the home. More than likely, you will need to contact a professional to address the situation so that it doesn’t continue to happen over and over again.